Unlike traditional buttercream, this Fluffy Vanilla Frosting is silky smooth, much fluffier and far less sweet. The texture is closer to whipped cream, but unlike cream, this Frosting is stable for days. It pipes like a dream, as featured in Vanilla Cupcakes, and is straightforward to make.
Made without icing sugar / powdered sugar, this is actually an old fashioned frosting called “Ermine Frosting”. If you’ve never heard of it before, the ingredients and method will intrigue you!
SNAPSHOT: My Secret Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
Texture: Light and fluffy. Sits between buttercream and whipped cream, but more towards lightness of whipped cream. 100% smooth.
Sweetness and richness: Much less sweet than buttercream with 60% less sugar. In reality it is quite rich because it uses 225g/2 sticks of butter but it doesn’t taste rich because of the very fluffy, whipped cream-like texture.
Uses: Piped or spread onto cakes and cupcakes, or used in place of cream to dollop onto or on the side.
How it sets: At room temperature, it’s soft and fluffy but firm enough to be piped into tall swirls. In the fridge, it will set and become firmer, but not hard like butter. This frosting does not get a crust.
Storage: Keep covered in airtight container or cake dome. On counter on mild days up to about 22°C/71°F. Refrigerate on warmer days that makes butter melt.
Best served at: room temperature. If too cold, the frosting is firmer than ideal.
My secret Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
I call this my “secret” Vanilla Frosting because it’s not a widely known type of frosting and people are always flabbergasted when I tell them how it’s made using butter, milk, flour and sugar.
It’s my best all-rounder that’s a hit with everyone. Take a classic buttercream, in all its rich, sweet glory, and a lightly sweetened vanilla whipped cream, and this Vanilla Frosting sits squarely in the middle.
But unlike buttercream, it’s 100% silky smooth. And unlike whipped cream which deflates within hours, this Vanilla Frosting will hold a tall piped swirl for days and days.
This looks and pipes like buttercream, but it’s WAY less sweet and rich!
This frosting is actually an old fashioned frosting called Ermine Frosting. Also known as boiled-milk frosting, roux frosting and mock cream, none of these names sound particularly flash nor do they capture the magic of this frosting that has a cult following. Some declare it as the best frosting in the world!
About this Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
Though the proper name of this frosting is Ermine Frosting, I’m going to continue to call it Fluffy Vanilla Frosting because that’s exactly what it is – and it sounds a lot more flattering than the real name!😂
The method by which it is made will sound highly unusual: hot milk, flour and sugar is cooked on the stove until thickened into a thick custard texture, then once cool it becomes a thoroughly unappetising looking bowl of gluey-jelly which is then whipped into butter.
And this is when the ugly duckling transforms into a beautiful swan. Because suddenly, you’re staring into a bowl of what looks like whipped cream. Except….. you haven’t used cream at all. You touch it and know that it’s firm enough to pipe into sky-high swirls. You taste it, and it’s silky smooth. A cross between buttercream and whipped cream!
What you need for this Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
All you need is butter, flour, milk, sugar and vanilla. Flour?? I hear you query. YES. That is what thickens this into a frosting texture. I promise you will not detect even the faintest bit of flour once finished – not in texture and certainly not taste.
How to make my secret Less-Sweet Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
First, we make the roux. It’s just like how we start creamy-sauce savoury foods like Mac and Cheese – except it’s sweet, and we take it much further until it’s very thick.
Milk, sugar, flour – Stir the sugar and flour in a dry saucepan over medium heat – this just toasts the sugar lightly to bring out some flavour. Then slowly pour the warm milk in as you whisk (this avoids lumps)
Cook over medium heat until it thickens in a thick dolloping custard. The range of thickness possible is actually quite broad – I’ve made it way thicker and it still worked perfectly. In fact, the frosting holds its structure longer, and it pipes with sharper, more defined edges even though it is just as fluffy. Just don’t take it off when it’s still watery.
Scrape it into a bowl (“it” being a roux);
Cover roux with cling wrap, pressing onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming (or use paper if you’re plastic adverse) then very importantly, allow to fully cool otherwise it will melt the butter. It will become like a thick, pasty, thoroughly unappetising jelly and at this stage you will start doubting me. Have faith!
Cooling the roux / making ahead – I usually cool on counter for 20 minutes then refrigerate for 30 minutes or so to speed things up but don’t let it get fridge cold because otherwise it won’t mix together well with the room temp butter (because the temperatures are too different). You can also leave it overnight in the fridge but take it out about 1 hour prior to dechill it and bring to room temperature.
Now, we whip it up like any other frosting.
5. Beat butter until creamy – just for a couple of minutes. We don’t need it to become aerated because we will be whipping the combined mixture like you do whipped cream and at this stage it will fluff up more;
6. Add dollops of the roux, beating as you go. Take about 1 minute to add all the roux in, this will ensure your Frosting stays smooth;
7. Beat, beat, beat – Add vanilla and a pinch of salt for flavour, then beat for another 2 to 3 minutes, just like you’re whipping up a big bowl of cream; and
8. Voila! Your Fluffy Vanilla Frosting is done!
How to use this Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
Spreading and piping
Spread it onto cakes (like Vanilla Cake) and cupcakes Vanilla Cupcakes or Chocolate Cupcakes).
Or transfer to a piping bag and pipe sky-high swirls, as pictured throughout this post (Wilton 2D tip).
In fact, this frosting was the traditional frosting used for Red Velvet Cake! It was only in modern times that cream cheese frosting became the frosting of choice for Red Velvet.
You can pipe sky-high mounds of this frosting onto cupcakes, and you won’t find it sickly sweet like with buttercream!
Flavours and colouring
Treat it like your everyday buttercream – this frosting can be tinted and flavoured with concentrated flavouring.
To make it Chocolate flavoured, just whip in 1/4 cup cocoa powder at end. Melted chocolate doesn’t work as well because it weighs it down.
Note: I haven’t tried using fresh citrus like lemon, lime and orange to ensure it doesn’t split.
Storage
The butter in this frosting will require refrigeration if the temperature is warm enough for the butter to start softening – this causes the frosting to droop. I find that up to about 23°/73°F, this frosting is fine out on the counter.
If you are forced to refrigerate, make sure you take cakes out 1 1/2 hours prior to serving and cupcakes out 1 hour prior so they come to room temperature. The frosting firms up in the fridge (because the butter goes hard) which is not very pleasant to eat! You need the frosting to come to room temperature so it’s creamy and soft again. It will soften faster than fridge-cold butter because the fridge-cold frosting is not as hard as butter.
So, now you know my secret frosting recipe. 🙂 I’ve been making it for years, relishing in how people who ordinarily shy-away from sky high mounds of frosting have dived into it after I assured them that it’s way less sweet and rich than typical frostings.
Tell me what you think if you try it! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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My Secret Less-Sweet, Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp flour , plain/all purpose
- 1 cup white sugar , regular/granulated (can reduce to 1/2 cup, Note 1)
- 1 cup milk, warmed using any method , full fat best (but even 0% fat works)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 225g / 1 cup unsalted butter , softened but not too soft! (Note 3)
Chocolate Frosting option:
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened (Dutch processed best, if you can)
Instructions
Thickening Roux:
- Place flour and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.
- While whisking constantly, slowly pour the milk in (this ensure it’s lump free).
- As the milk gets hotter, it will start to thicken – stir constantly so the base doesn’t catch.
- Cook until the mixture thickens in a thick, dolloping custard – see video for texture. TIP: Thicker texture = thicker frosting texture but won't make the frosting dense, it's still fluffy and spreadable but it just makes it "sturdier" with sharper edges when piped.
- Remove from heat and scrape into a bowl. Cover with cling wrap, pressing down onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
- Cool completely (I leave on counter for 20 min or so then refrigerate 30 min to speed up but don't let it get chilled, best at room temp to beat into butter). You can leave in fridge overnight but take it out 1 hour prior to using (to dechill – otherwise it won't mix well with softened butter).
Making the Fluffy Frosting:
- Place butter in a bowl and use either a handheld beater or stand mixer (with whisk attachment) to beat for 3 minutes until it's smooth and changes from yellow to very pale yellow, almost white.
- Now start whipping in the Thickening Roux. On speed 5 (medium), start adding the thick roux one heaped tablespoon at a time. Take about 1 minute to add it all.
- Once all added, add vanilla and salt, then whip for 2 to 3 minutes until you can see that it is still enough to hold peaks. Then it's ready to use!
Chocolate flavoured option:
- Beat in the cocoa powder at the end, just until mixed through.
Frosting cakes and cupcakes:
- Use it like any other frosting on cakes and cupcakes – either spread it on with a knife or put in a piping bag. You can pipe sky-high mounds and it will hold its form, as pictured on Vanilla Cupcakes in this post.
- See notes for storage / make ahead.
Recipe Notes:
- This frosting is best used straight after making.
- On cooler days (22C/71F or so), frosted cakes, cupcakes etc can stay out on the counter.
- On warmer days, it will need to be refrigerated – the butter is what will make the frosting droop. Take out of fridge 1 – 1.5 hrs before serving to bring so the frosting can soften (it firms up in the fridge due to the butter).
- The flour milk roux can be made the day before and refrigerated overnight, but then take it out of the fridge 1 hour prior to take the chill out of it, you want it at room temperature.
- Freezing – up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
When he literally DIVES in to inhale a cupcake and gets a big splodge of frosting on his nose that is JUST out of licking range….
Hi! Is it okay to add liquid food coloring to this frosting??
Hi Chia – yes you can but you can’t add a lot – just a few drops. N x
Hi Nagi,
Two Questions
1. Can I use margarine instead of butter?
2. Instead of cocoa powder can I use dark chocolate?(how much)
I really enjoy this however it seems to be a little too buttery. I think I left the butter out for too long. Is there something I can do to make it maybe a tad sweeter? Unless you have a recipe for a mix between whipped icing and buttercream? Our local grocery store has an icing called Sateen and it is in between but I’m not sure how to go about it and I really dont want to buy it lol thank you!
Hi, I love this frosting and it’s thr only kind I make now so thank you for sharing!
I want to make my sons birthday cake ahead of time. Can I freeze the frosted cake with the ermine frosting?
Hi Carolyn – yes the frosting freezes well after piping or spreading! N x
Thank you Nagi!
Great recipe! I would never have thought to make frosting like this and it was delicious and kept its shape really well despite the heat. Will definitely be making it again. Thank you!
Mine didn’t work!! 😭 Is it because I used margarine instead of butter?
I used margarine and it worked perfectly, so it must have been something else. Sorry yours didn’t work 🙁
It is WONDERFUL i love it it tastes like miso soup
Hi Sarah, if you don’t want to use butter, I find that the plant based butters are best. I always use the flora plant butter bricks which seem to do the trick.
I’m back! I’m the person that folded in crushed Oreos.
This time I used it to frost an orange poppyseed cake, so I infused the sugar with orange zest before cooking, and folded in poppyseeds as a final step. DELICIOUS!! Thank you so much for this recipe! So versatile! I’m excited to think what other flavor I can make.
Oh Loretta you are going to be excited by the cookbook! Lots of frosting info and flavours coming your way!! N x
Hi! Can this frosting be frozen? I have some leftover and would like to use it later on…
Thanks very much!
Hi Marie – I tested this and yes, you can freeze the frosting in a piping bag and pipe it directly after thawing. You cannot whip it again though as it splits. N x
This is the first time I’ve ever heard of this method in my research as a beginner baker. I have NEVER liked the taste of American Buttercream, but it was used in MOST of the recipes I look at for inspiration. I tried this recipe tonight and IT WAS PERFECT! THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing.
I cooled on counter and in fridge as direction says, but when I mixed it into the butter it seemed really soupy (I realized my mistake when I was half way through adding roux that it was still
too warm) so I finished mixing and placed my mixing bowl with frosting in fridge for 30 minutes, then I whipped for a couple a minutes and IT WORKED OUT.
Just wanted to share my appreciation for MY NEW FAVORITE FROSTING!
I am glad that you liked it Rachel!! N x
Hi! Can I simply add cream cheese to make cream cheese frosting? If yes, should I mix it with butter before adding the flour/sugar/milk mixture?
Why did mine when Imixed the butter it curdled.?
I love this recipe so much,I can actually eat the buttercream rather than leaving it on the plate. Is there anything I can do it make it a little more thicker? Should I add more flour or milk or icing sugar?
Hi Sara – you can add a Tbsp of icing sugar if you think it’s too soft but it will crust a bit more if you add a lot. If you have cooked the roux enough and the butter is the right temperature it should be a good consistency. N x
Can I use Evap for the milk?
I haven’t tried that but I tried it with soy milk and almond milk and it worked so evaporated will probably be ok! N x
I haven’t try this yet but, if I make this frost and put for my daughter’s cake a day ahead before the actual consumption, should I leave the cake on the counter or can I put it in the fridge? Thank you very much! Im so excited to start baking!
It came out amazing! At first I was reluctant to put flour- in a frosting, but it turned out beautifully! Just what I’ve been looking for! This is a must!
Can i use shortening and butter instead of the butter alone
Sorry Shelly Ann I haven’t tried that! N x
This is my new favourite recipe for buttercream! It turned out beautifully, light and creamy, not to sweet and very easy to pipe on cupcakes. I can’t wait to use it on a cake 🍰
OH MY WORD!!!! I love, love, LOVE this!!! I’ve always been one of those people, who leave most of the frosting on the plate, because it’s just way too sweet….. This was the PERFECT amount of sweetness!! Made it yesterday for a very rich chocolate cake and actually used 1 cup of brown sugar instead of white, because I was shooting for a caramelly flavor. It was super easy albeit a bit strange because of the roux part…. But it turned out great!! Super fluffy, much nicer to spread than your normal buttercream frosting and the flavor was incredible!!! I don’t see how I could ever go back 😄 Thank you so much for this!!
This frosting is unbelievably wonderful. Creamy and not too sweet. My new alternative to traditional buttercream. I used it on a lemon cake. I used coconut extract instead of vanilla because I also topped the cake with shredded coconut. It was delicious.
I would like to make this frosting for cupcakes for a shower that I have to travel to. Would this frosting hold up to the bumps in the road? I would hate to find the frosting sliding off! I made a batch and it was slightly soupy… butter too soft.
Hi
I am making an engagement cake next weekend and need a frosting that give a clean smooth look (not textured) would this frosting work or would I be better to use a Swiss meringue buttercream?